zara

I finally went shopping this season and I have to say I am not too displeased with the results, although I still need some items.

I went shopping with the intention of buying office attire for my New York trip in March, but I only bought two items with that purpose. Let’s start.

1 . Huge Scarf – H&M

I bought this extremely long and fluffy scarf because it has been freezing lately here in Italy. It even snowed in Sicily, just to give you an idea. So I got this scarf, although it was not on sale and I could not find it on the website. It is a light grey with a very slight blue tint. It cost €14,99 and it feels like cashmere, although it is 100% acrylic.

I already have a couple of tees like this, but I could not help myself because this colour is extremely pretty. It is a neutral grey with warm tones and I am a sucker for it. It cost €9,99 and it was not on sale, since basics never are, in my experience. I got in in a size S.

Again, I bought this pullover mainly for the colour but also for the semi-deep v-neck. I love sweaters with this cut, since I consider them very sexy and feminine. On the side I could only find it in the colour black. It originally cost €24,99 but I paid €10 for it. I got it in a size S.

I really needed a blazer for New York and I found a pretty simple black on for €24,99 although not on sale. It fits nicely and it is tighter around the waist, which is what I was looking for. I got it in a size US 6, EUR 36.

I know, I have a problem. I just love jackets and bomber jackets in particular. I already have a black one and an army green one, but I really wanted this one. The colour is gorgeous and I got it even though it was not on sale, for €29,99. It has an edgier look than my other ones and I cannot wait to wear it. I got it in a size M.

This is a very cropped crop top with a crossover neckline. I would wear it with high waisted jeans or with a high waisted skirt. It is knitted and it was on sale for €5,99 reduced from €12,99. I got it in a size S.

7. Sporty Crop Top – Pull & Bear

This crop top just augments my ambition to have abs. I really want to wear it at the gym without worrying about my stomach. I could not find it on the site, unfortunately. It has “GIRL GANG” printed on the bottom and it looks very nice on. I got it in a size S.

The love I have for this dress is immense. I never thought this type of dress would flatter my body shape, but this particular one does. It is not too short and it fits very nicely, while still being flowy. It cost €19,99 and it was again, not on sale.

9. Knit Dress – Zara

Once again, I could not find this particular dress on the site and it is honestly a shame. It is so beautiful on and not too tight. It must be sold out almost everywhere, since I also got the last one in the store. It was reduced form €49,99 to €19,99, so it is probably the best bargain here.

10. Flowy Shirt – Zara

I needed a shirt like this for my New York trip and I am glad I found it. I love how it is not stark white and how it looks very classic. And yes, you guessed right, it is not on the site anymore.

Well, this is all for now. I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for reading.

I wanted to title this post “Sporty Spice”, but I kept my cool. On this day, I accompanied my friend to the Apple Store to get her phone checked out and since the store is in a mall near Rome, we also had an early dinner at McDonald’s. Listen, I just had to try the Gran Crispy McBacon, I just had to. It was worth it.

I decided to wear a pair of high waisted leggings that I usually wear to the gym. They are from Zara and I talked about them here. They are pretty comfortable, but they tend to slide down between my thighs, if I walk a lot. They are very fitted and they make your waist look great.

As a top, I wore this long sleeved wool crop top that I got a year ago from Zara, so it is unfortunately not available anymore. Regardless, it was the second time I wore it and I love it.

On top, I wore a bomber jacket from H&M, which I also have in green. It is probably my favourite jacket for the fall season. I kind of also want the pink one, do not judge me.

My shoes are from Reebok, for which I made a whole post about here. They are very comfortable and great for this season, since they keep your feet very warm.

My only accessory was my watch from Daniel Wellington. I got it some time ago and I went for the most simple and minimal design of them all, the Classic Sheffield.

I finally got around to coming back to this lake and it has been great. Lake Albano is a lake in Lazio, of volcanic origin and with extremely clear water. It is the deepest lake in the region. It is in the town of Castel Gandolfo, where the papal summer residence is. So, if you want to get to this lake, all you have to do is get the train from Rome to Albano and stop at Castel Gandolfo. The ticket costs €2,10 so very inexpensive. Or, if you live nearby you can get there by car.

The thing I like most about this area is that, despite its touristic potential, it is not very busy with people. Yes, the part of the lake shore arranged to accommodate people was almost full, but everybody knows the owner there, so they are regulars. On the other side of the lake though, there are some houses hidden in what remains of the volcanic walls and, from the looks of it, a hotel.

The water is very, very clear and the sand is almost black. There are tiny boats that you can rent and last year there were various ducks around, but this year I did not see any.

I wore a bathing suit that I got from Zara some time ago and that I cannot find on the site.

I also want to talk about how I protected my skin from the sun. As you may have noticed, I am pretty fair, therefore I get burned more easily. Before putting on my bathing suit that morning I applied a sunscreen scary, so I would not have to bother when I got there. I also reapplied that sunscreen once more during my three-hour stay. It has SPF 30 and it is from a brand called Frais Monde. The only problem was that the first time I applied it, it sprayed wide and evenly, while the second time it was more concentrated in one spot, but it worked regardless.

On my face and on my tattoo, I used a Nivea Sun Kids lotion, which has a 50+ SPF, as I do not want premature wrinkles.

I also used a tanning oil on top of my sunscreen. I know it may have not done anything, but I wanted to tan safely. I got all of these products at the pharmacy, so they all have a very pharmaceutical smell, but they do their job. I found the oil here.

Now, last and not least, my favourite product. This after sun milk spray left my skin so moisturised and soothed. I love it, but I could not find where to buy it, although the product’s page is here.

If you happened to wander these past weeks on my blog, you might have noticed that I did already write a haul for the Summer Sale, but I did go on another shopping trip and I thought that it was more than worth writing a post about, since I thoroughly love each and every item I bought.

My parents and I went to Euroma 2, a shopping centre in Rome, which has mostly high street brands and only a couple high end.

I first stopped at Intimissimi, a lingerie and basic underwear store, because I really needed a triangle bra for the bodysuit I got from H&M. They have this thing called the Perfect Bra Book which has the most essential and basic bras that every woman should have and they come in black, white, and beige. I ended up getting Tiziana, which barely has any padding and is in a pretty open triangle shape. I tried it on with the bodysuit and it is perfect, in both colour and shape. I paid €19,90 for it and it was not on sale.

I then went to Stradivarius, where you can honestly find a lot of unique but still basic items. I got a very nice dusty rose t-shirt, long enough to be worn with leggings. It is really comfortable and I paid €9,95 for it, despite it not being on sale. You can find it here, along with other colours.

Next, I got a plain white t-shirt from a brand called Silvian Heach. It is very simple, with a breast pocket and again, the length is just right for leggings. It originally was €16 and it was reduced to €12. I could not find it on the site, but there are many shirts like this around, so just go looking.

Now, the most successful part of my shopping trip was obviously at ZARA. I will immediately start with my most prized possession as of today, aka my lace up leather sandals. I almost had a stroke when they were sold out on the site the other day, but they had plenty of them in store. They are beautiful and very comfortable, although you must have some patience to tie them up. They were originally €69,99 and they were reduced to €49,99. Here you can have a professional look at them.

Next, they had a load of coats on sale and I decided to pick up a long basic black trench coat, which initially was €69,95 and it was reduced to €29,99. It was a great deal and all items were extremely reduced, so if you want a coat, go and grab it now. Again, I could not find it on the site anymore.

I also bought a grey t-shirt style bodysuit. It is super comfortable and it cost €7,95, not being on sale. You can find it here. I love the fit and I love how basic it is, a staple matter-of-factly.

Another item not on sale was this v-neck black t-shirt. I love it immensely and I know I will get so much wear out of it. It is the perfect shirt to put on when you have not planned an outfit for school or work. It cost €12,95 and you can find it here.

Finally, the last and the most unexpected item : a pink flow midi skirt, with a thigh high slit which has a shorter and lace-trimmed skirt underneath. The material is so soft and delicate. It is honestly one of those items that look very expensive and unique. It cost €17,99 and I cannot find it on the site, and being on sale I suppose it sold out. I already have a birthday party in September and I intend on wearing this skirt with the sandals above. I just need an appropriate bodysuit.

I am very happy with my purchases and I plan on using the rest of my budget on online shopping. I need to find a bodysuit for the skirt and some makeup products on ASOS.

I am finally back with another outfit of the day, although on this particular day I did not go anywhere important or fancy; I simply went to driving school, but I decided to wear something new, the shirt, which I just bought on a shopping trip in Rome, that you can read about here. I never go anywhere anymore, so I just thought I would “dress up” for no reason.

So, the pièce de résistance is obviously the long and oversized striped dress shirt, which I talked about more in detail in my haul post, but regardless it is from Zara and I could not find it on their website anymore, but they do have more oversized shirts like these, so just dig into their site or others, like Asos.

On the bottom I am wearing a pair of white shorts, which I do not particularly like, simply because they do not fit me properly, as in they fit my butt but they are too loose around my waist. They are from Tally Weijl, but they are not available anymore, and trust me, you are not missing out. I plan on buying a new pair, but made of denim, from Levi’s or something like that, where you pay a bit more, but they actually fit you right.

To keep my pants up, I was wearing a belt on which I made more holes since again, the belt was not tight enough, despite being a size S, from H&M. I really wish I would not have to wear belts, but unfortunately it is very rare that I find good enough pants.

On my feet, I was wearing a pair of blue Converse. They used to be more intensely coloured, but after washing them quite often in the past three years, they turned to a more denim-like hue and I do not mind it one bit. You can find them here.

Finally, on my wrist I was wearing a watch by Morello, but I got it as a gift years ago and I cannot find the model anymore. Anyways, the plating kind of rubbed off, which I do not mind that much, but if you plan on getting a good watch, invest in good brands or at least, in materials that do not get damaged with wear.

I finally went shopping on a fine Saturday with my mother on Via del Corso, possibly the most famous street in Rome, full of shops, both high end and high street. If you fancy more expensive brands, like Moschino or Chanel, you should visit Via del Babuino, which is a parallel street to Via del Corso.

Firstly, as soon as I got off the train I went to Coin, which is kind of a department store that has many beauty and fashion brands, mostly between high end and high street : they have MAC, but also L’Oréal and even Chanel. Needless to say, I almost had a heart attack when I saw that they had RealTechniques brushes. I unfortunately had planned all of my expenses and I could not get any, but in hindsight I should have, since I did not buy everything I had planned. I now know where to buy those brushes, other than online.

Then I went to Sephora and finally got myself a beauty blender. I have wanted this for so long and I even had trouble finding it, being such a little object. I got myself the classic pink one and it cost € 16,90. I already tried it with concealer and it works so so well.

I then took the bus and went to Piazza Venezia, from where I walked to Zara. This store is huge : it has four floors, but not all of the employees are nice, so try not to rub them the wrong way. It was pretty much chaos and I could not find the left shoe from a pair of sandals I really wanted to get and that I will buy online, here.

I did get other items, though.

Firstly, I got a long, asymmetrical and oversized striped dress shirt which would look so so tucked in a pair of jeans or by itself, as a dress, since it is moderately long in the front and quite long in the back. If you somehow find it and want to get it, keep in mind that I got an XS and it fits big. I could not find it on their site, which may be logical, since I am pretty sure I got the last one in the store. The original price was € 19,95 and it was reduced to € 12,99.

I then got two pairs of gym leggings and I must say they pass almost every test : they are as not see through as you would hope from a pair of leggings, the material is comfortable, they have a very high waist and they also are body shaping, although not crazy. They did pass the squat test, which I proudly did in the fitting room. They are not on sale, but they are part of the new collection and they were € 12,95 a pair. You can find them here. The picture on their site is much better than mine.

I finally arrived at H&M, where of course I did not find anything I initially wanted, but I left with equal amount of stuff. I immediately saw a top from the new collection and fell in love. The price may be exaggerated, but it is so flattering and it is such a pretty colour and shape that I just had to have it. You can find the top in white and red here.

I finally got around to buying a plain black t-shirt. It is not extremely fitted and I love the way the material is slightly see-through and distressed. It would look great with any type of outfit: casual, office or night out. It was not on sale and I got it for € 9,99 in the XS size and even this small it is not tight. You can get it here.

Now, my most loved new item of clothing : an army green/olive green bomber jacket. You have no idea how conflicted I was a couple of months ago, when I got my black one. I was really torn between those two colours, but I decided to get the black one, since it is a staple. So now I got this green one and I could not be any happier. It was again, not on sale, and I pair it € 29,99. I got it in a size smaller than my black one, a 38, and it fits just as well. The hardware on this one is golden, while on the black one it is silver. You can get it here, but the price is € 5 more expensive, weirdly enough.

Next up, probably the most boring item : a pack of five pairs of no-see socks made of cotton. I already had some pairs, but they were made of another material that slipped and made my feet sweat, so I am pretty happy with my purchase. I paid € 7,99 for them but I cannot find them on the site.

I am adding these next 2 items, even though I did not buy them the other day, but last week, when I went to Romania (here) and found an H&M.

I got the most basic white v-neck t-shirt I could find because I really needed one. It is very fitting and I wish I had bought a bigger size, so it would hang more loosely, but I love it regardless. I got it for € 4,99 but it is sold out on the site, here, although you can still get it in pink and in a very light grey.

Now, the last item I also wish I had gotten in a bigger size, since it is very, very tight, but I have to buy a nice and seamless bra to wear under it and maybe lose a kilo and tone up my stomach a bit more. It is a beautiful nice bodysuit that looks amazing on. The colour is beautiful and the neckline is not too plunging. I got it for € 12,99 here and keep it mind it is very tight.

And this is all for this haul. I do plan on going shopping again since some family friends will be visiting and we will of course take them shopping.

Time has come for another ootd and this time I was so excited, since I actually found a very nice background, randomly. I was going shopping with my friend and we passed this very nice grey wall and I literally started smiling, since there are no urban simple backgrounds around here.

So, as you can see, I was donning a very basic look, that I found to be quite chic, and I wish I had a photo to show you how differently my friend and I dress. We looked very weird walking around together : as in, I looked like her mum.

As a top, I was wearing a simple black t-shirt by Tezenis, from the men’s collection. Men’s shirts are cheaper and so much more simple, therefore I tend to also look around that side of the store. You can find the shirt here; I obviously got the smallest size possible.

I was also wearing a pair of leggings by Tezenis, which you can find here, but the problem with them was that they were not tight enough on the ankle, so my mum offered to modify them, since she loves sewing. That is what she did and that is why they fit so good. They are not see-through, which is an amazing thing.

The coat : this coat is one of my most prized possessions. I love it to death and I am always extra careful when I wear it. It is very similar to those waterfall coats that have been trendy lately, but it is shorter and slightly more structured. I got it from Tally Weijl a while back, on sale, and it is not on the site anymore.

Another love of mine is this bag that I got from Zara, also on sale. As soon as I got into the store I only saw it in burgundy and the staff members told me that the black ones sold out. I was so disappointed, because I had seen it on the website and it was gorgeous. While I was walking around the store, I saw it and immediately ran towards it. It reminds me of a doctor’s bag, because of the simple design and the metal handles. I am very sorry, but I was not able to find it on the website.

And once again, my shoes are from a brand called Two of a Kind, based in London, which was available on AW LAB, but I cannot find these shoes anymore. They are pretty much identical to the Vans leather slip ons.

I hope you enjoyed this ootd and thank you for reading. See you next time.